NEWS |
136-00: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE , October 12, 2000
This effort is part of Operation Jamaica Bay Clean Sweep, a National Park Service initiative that involves agencies from all levels of government coming together to remove debris from the bay's shores. The cleanup began Wednesday, October 4, and will continue until October 14.
"From 12-foot speedboats to a 25-foot pleasure craft, boats of different sizes have been illegally abandoned on the shore and in the shallow waters along Jamaica Bay near the airport," said Charles Seliga, General Manager of Kennedy Airport. "If a passing craft collides with a partially sunken ship, the results could be disastrous. Furthermore, abandoned boats often leak oil, causing environmental problems, while others collect standing rainwater - a possible breeding area for disease-carrying mosquitoes. That's why we have put the agency's resources behind this very worthwhile endeavor. It's just one of the things we do to help the Queens Community."
JFK maintenance crews - using cables, trucks and heavy construction equipment - are hauling the boats out of the water. The boats will be mechanically crushed into small pieces and disposed of at the Port Authority's expense.
Other agencies involved include the Gateway National Recreation Area Initiative, United States Coast Guard, NYPD Harbor Unit, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, NYC Department of Sanitation, Broad Channel Jamaica Bay Eco-Watch, Friends of Marine Park, and the NYC Soil and Water Conservation District.
Last month, the Port Authority sponsored a beach cleanup project in Queens at F.M. Charles Memorial Park in Howard and Hamilton Beaches. The agency provided heavy-duty beach-cleaning equipment, as well as rakes, gloves, plastic bags, a large trash container and commemorative T-shirts. Volunteers for that project included Kennedy Airport employees, members of Community Board 10 and New York City Councilman Al Stabile, Gateway National Recreational Area rangers, and boaters from local marinas.